A dramatic rift between former U.S. President Donald Trump and tech billionaire Elon Musk has spilled into public view, with the once-allied figures trading insults over social media and public statements. 

The clash centers on a controversial federal spending bill, but has since expanded into a power struggle over personal loyalty and economic priorities.

Feud Erupts Over “Disgusting” Spending Bill

The dispute began when Elon Musk, fresh off his brief tenure leading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), publicly criticized Trump’s signature spending package. Musk took to his social media platform X to denounce the bill as a “disgusting abomination” and urged Americans to call their representatives to oppose it. 

He accused lawmakers of irresponsibly inflating the national debt and called out the inclusion of excessive “pork,” a political term for wasteful spending projects. Trump, however, defended the bill during a press conference with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. “I’m very disappointed because Elon knew the inner workings of this bill better than almost anybody sitting here. All of a sudden he had a problem,” Trump said.

Trump suggested Musk’s opposition is because of the bill’s cuts to electric vehicle subsidies, which would directly affect Tesla. Musk rejected that claim, stating he supported those cuts but opposed unrelated spending in the bill he viewed as wasteful.

Personal Insults and Political Accusations Escalate Tensions

As tensions escalated, Musk accused Trump of “ingratitude,” claiming he was instrumental in Trump’s recent electoral success. “Without me, Trump would have lost the election,” Musk posted, asserting his financial backing and online campaigning helped secure a Republican majority. 

Trump appeared to downplay the dispute during a brief interview with Politico, saying, “Oh, it’s okay. It’s going very well, never done better.” However, on his Truth Social platform, he claimed Musk “just went CRAZY” and suggested that terminating Musk’s government contracts and subsidies would save “billions and billions of dollars.” 

Musk retaliated by threatening to decommission SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft, which services the International Space Station. He later softened his stance after pressure from followers, stating, “Okay, we won’t decommission Dragon.” 

Looking Ahead: Reconciliation or Permanent Split?

Despite the heated rhetoric, both sides have signaled a possible de-escalation. Politico reported that Trump’s aides have scheduled a phone call with Musk. Still, the future of the once-powerful partnership remains uncertain. 

Whether the conflict results in long-term political realignment or is patched over in private, the public unraveling of their relationship has already had political and financial repercussions.